If you fall down, you've just got to get back up

We've all had embarrassments, times when we've said or done something that made us cringe; but few of us have fallen over while skating in front of an audience of a thousand people.

This evening I went to see Robin Cousins' Ice show and it was fantastic, really beautiful. The movement, the music and the breath-taking skating was incredible.

Unfortunately one poor girl fell at the start of the head banger, one of the scariest moves is skating. It was a relief it wasn't half way through the move when the guy swings his partner, around in a circle, holding her just by her ankles. Her head is literally centimetres from the ice!

You could tell from the expression onn her face that it must have hurt; but she was a complete pro, got back up and finished the skate with a smile on her face. Even more amazing, she went on to perform the head banger twice more over the course of the show, each one perfectly.

I had a huge amount of respect for her, for carrying on regardless, even though it must have been terrifying to put yourself through the same risk or injury and embarrassment again.

She got some of the biggest applause at the end and the whole audience warmed to her. She may have fallen; but she stood out for all the right reasons by the end.

Failure, mistakes, embarrassment, can all feel like the end of the world; but if you get over the hurt, then you have the chance to go on and create something magical. That's what she and her fellow skaters did tonight.

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